European Union Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, has announced that all remaining negotiation chapters with Albania will be opened in June, marking a decisive step toward the country’s full membership in the European Union.
Speaking at a conference hosted by the Centre for European Studies in Brussels, Kos emphasized that the process of closing negotiation chapters will follow shortly after — a phase she described as equally critical in achieving Albania’s full integration into the Union.
“We need to open another cluster of chapters with Albania, a process that will be completed in June. With this, the phase of opening all negotiation chapters will come to an end,” Kos stated.
She also confirmed that the current mandate of the European Commission will see new memberships from the Western Balkans, signaling a strong political will to advance enlargement in the region.
Kos highlighted a shared commitment with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama to accelerate the accession process. “We have agreed with Prime Minister Edi Rama to finally complete Albania’s ‘marriage’ with the European Union,” she declared, underlining that the process must remain merit-based.
This development is seen as a major milestone in Albania’s European path, which has involved years of institutional reform, alignment with EU standards, and regional cooperation. The opening of all negotiation chapters signals that the country has met the necessary criteria for moving into the final and most complex stage of the accession process — chapter closure and full harmonization with the EU acquis.
The announcement has been met with cautious optimism in Brussels and Tirana alike, as Albania edges closer to achieving its long-standing goal of EU membership.